Vehicle-spring.



M. M. MCINTYRE.

VEHCLE SPRING.

APPLicATloM FILED ocT.29,19o.

L. Patented Apr. 13, :1.915

2 SHEETSSHBBT 1.

M. M. MCINTYRE.

VEHICLE SPRING.

APPLxcATxoN FILED ocT.29-. 1906.

1,1 35,036. Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2` @fb E m55/55.- l I Zzzz/ezzzaf.

my Lm? @KM narran sirafrns rafrnnr onrioii.

MICHAEL M. MCNTYRE, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE IPERFEC'JICGN SPRING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

Lisanne.

specification of Lettersratent. Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

Application filed October 29, 1906. Serial No. 340,938.

T0 all whom it muy concer-n:

Be it known that l, Miei-Linn M. Mc- IN'rYR', a citizen of the linited States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, 'have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Vehicle- Springs, ot which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the acconilianying drawings My invention relates to vehicle springs,

and has for its object to secure ease of riding with rigidity of traction between the a'Xle and vehicle body or traine as well as to secure even motion of the frame; also to provide a forni oi spring embodying these characteristics that may be readily attached to vehicles as ordinarily constructed With little or no alteration in the hangers or frame thereof to accommodate the spring. i secure these results byv the construction shown in the drawings, and set forth in the specification and claims forming part hereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation showing a spring constructed in accordance `.iith my invention attached to the frame olf a vehicle, the spring being shown in the position which it occupies when subjected only to the Weight of the vehicle;l Fig. 2 represents a similar View showing the spring deliected by having applied thereto the maximum Weight which it is de,-

signed to carry; Fig. 3 represents a view, similar to Fig. l, of a modification of the spring shown in the preceding View; Fig. 4 represents a View similar to Fig. 3 o'a further modification oi'va spring embodying my invention and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 represent diagrammatic views illustrating the position assumed by the vehicle traine under various conditions of load, when springs con-` structed in accordance with my invention are applied thereto.

Describing by reference characters the spring shown in 1 and 2, 1 represents the lower side frame ot a vehicle, provided with a hanger 2 and a shackle 8. 4 denotes the. axle of the vehicle, and 5 and 6 the two individual spring members which comprise the complete spring. One of these members, G, is a semi-elliptic spring, one end of ivhicli is connected directly to the vehicle frame by means of a pin or bolt 7 extending through the eve of. the spring and the end ot the hanger 2. The opposite end of the spring il is connected in like mannerto the upper end of a shackle 8 by means ot' a vpin or bolt Sa, the shackle 8 being pivotally connected at the lower end thereof to the lower end of the long 'shackle 3, the upper end of which may 4be .pivoted tothe frame 1. .The other spring member consists of the spring 5 having a scroll end 9 extending around the adjacent end of spring 6 and being connected by a pin or bolt 10 with 'the lower ends of shackles 3 and; 8. The upper end of shackle 8 is extended above the main leaf of spring 6 and provided with a stop 11 to engage said spring -6 and prevent the 'capsizing of the' shackle 8 on rebound, as fully set forth in anl i earlier application of mine, Serial No. 314,805 filed May 2nd,1906.' The parts are so proportioned that, when no load is on the vehicle, the pin 10 is inside of a vertical line drawn through the pin or bolt 12 by which the upper end of 'theshackle 3 is sev cured to the traine and the pin 8 is inside of a vertical line drawn throughpin or'bolt 10. lVhen the spring ,is loaded to its capacity, the -parts assume the positions shown in Fig. 2, that 4is -to say, the shackle 8 has been rotated bythe vexpansion of the semielliptic spring and the contraction of the scroll until the pivots 8l and 10 are in the same vertical line while 10 is slightly insidev ot the scroll spring member projects consid" erably beyond the end of 5 nearly as far beyond the axle as does the opposite end and is secured to the spring member?) by means of a clip lll.- Y

The leaf 5c of the scroll spring member extends considerably beyond the corresponding end-of 5",nearly to the hanger 2. and is secured to the main leaf of the semi-elliptic spring by means of a clip 15. Whilev l have shown the scroll spring member as a three-leaf spring, it Will be obvious that more leaves may be employed-ilusnecessary tof support the load, but in any event the ends All0 of the leaves on the side lof the axle opposite to the scroll should be vstaggered with re- ,spect to the corresponding ends Qf the leaves of 'the semi-elliptic spring member and evenly spaced therebetween. That is to say,

the -end of leaf 5b should be half-Way be?.

tween the subjacent [ends of .the leavesv 6a and'ti ofthe ysemi-elliptic spring vmember and the end ofleaf should be half-way between the subjacent end's of leaves 6b and.

6?. This resultsina uniform diminution of -metal from theffaxle tofthehanger 2, with I- a lcorresponding uniform yielding of the spring from'th'e axle to. the said hanger.

This end' of thespring'is stronger'and less" front end of the fro t yspring' serving as a -yielding or movable .pivotfor'fthe frame, as

will be explained in connection with the diagrammatic views in Figs. 5 and?. p l

By connecting the end o'f the' semielhpt1c springto'the hanger 2, I attain a rigid traction between the body of the vehicle and'the axle. Terminating the'end of the"main leaf l 5 of thev scroll spring member just Vbeyond the axle reduces the mass of steel below Athis member at what wouldbe thev centralfportion thereof if it were .a scrollspring of ordinary 'construction and makes the por tion of this spring member which is exibly' connected to shackle 3-more resilient than' `would be the case if it were a complete scroll spring.' Atl'the samev time," the strengthof v the vhalf of the 4semi-elliptic spring Vori-"the side'o'f the axle opposite the scroll -is notv sacrificed by.l virtue vof this construction. Furthermore, the' tendency of thei front end .l bf the'lower springt to rebound beyond its .L normal arch is resisted vby the lesser arch ,l given `to the spring ends 5, 5b and 5, while '.50 on rebound :troni the subjacent leaves is resisted bythe gre'ater'archwhich is given to the .tendency of such mainl plate to separate 'these leaves in building the spring 6. This makes' the Afront end of spring 6 particularly durable. i v

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, I employ, for the upper spring member, a portion of a's'emi-elliptic spring in the same manner --a's I employ for the upper'spring member 'in the preceding figures' a portion of al scroll spring. In 'this figure, 1G denotes the upper l spring member, the end 17 'of which is flexibly connected to the end of the lower spring vmember 6 by means vof a shackle 1 8. The

. the .ends of both spring members.

` while ithe other end o ends of the lower spring member, are connected to the frame 1 by means of the hangers 2 and 19 and a long shackle 20.' It.

should be noted that a slight sweep is given tothe end 17. The shackle 18 permits of relative movement between the end 17 and the subjacent end of spring 6 i while the shackle 20 permits of .a free movementof The nends of the leaves-16?, 16", and 16c are connected to the subjacent portions of the other spring members 6 inthesame manner as are the ends of the corresponding leaves of ,the spring' shown in Figs.v 1 and 2.

In Fig.' 4, I'fhave shown a modification whichresembles theform of spring shown in '.Figs. l and 2. iny general* appearance. -In' this igure, however, only the main leaf 21 of a scroll springiis employed with the semielliptic spring. The connections -between the'end of the scroll and the adjacent eind of the semi-ellipticspring and Between the ends Aof the latter spring and 'thehhanger shackle 'are the samefas in Figs. .1 and 2. The opposite end of the scroll spring however extended and is provided with an eyev by which' itis connected to hanger 2. The

main leaf of the semi-elliptic springextends substantiallyas far as the hanger 2 and reinfores the leaf ofl spring 21. In this construction,"'\asin"the construction shown in Figsl and 2, the end of the spring which is iexibly connected with'the vehicle is i formel by combiin ascroll spring member with 4a semiel 'ptic spring member,

the spring, which is rigidly attached .to the hanger, comprises a semi-elliptic spring member.

It will be;

notedfthat, .in the various embodiments of lmy invention. shownl herein, the spring members are constructed without any considerable'bow orarch. This brings the axle close to theframe and thus prevent sidev swaying of the vehicle, asthe edges of the springs effectually resist this motion.l

It wil be 'seen further thatthe front end of the various forms of springs is in a higher plane than the rear end, and I am enabled. to

employ with the 'front end of each of the forms of spring shown herein the ordinary short hanger which is provided for vehicle frames, dispensing with the necessity for any special form Ofhanger for this end pf my spring, while the employment of the long shackle 'at the rear end dispenses with the necessit' .for any special form'of hanger at that en of the spring.`

As pr Jfiously stated, the front end of the spring il stronger and less yielding than the rear end. Thiswis of great advantage in securing a uniform distribution of load to lthe rear end of these springs andthe ends of therear springs, particularly when such rear springs are double springs of the type shown' incense Y l n in the diagrammatic views in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. ln these figures, A B represent a horizontal line extending through the front end of the frame. C represents the type of rear spring which may be employed with the vehicle, said type being shown as a double spring consisting oi an upper scroll spring vzas and a lower semi-elliptic spring, Vthe endsl of which are flexibly connected together by means of links, as shown in an earlier'application. I prefer'to so construct and 'connect the springs that, when no load has been added to the vehicle, the rear end of the frame will be. slightly above the front end thereof. Fig.' 6 represents the position lof the frame when the vehicle has therein thei ordinary fuii load which the springs are designed to carry. In this position, the direction of the frame coincides with the horizontal line A B,-the frame acting under load as if it were pivoted at the front end thereof. In Fig. 7, the frame is shown in the position which it occupies when the springs areunder extreme deflection, such dellection being produced either by overload or by striking an obstacle, or both. in this case the rear end of the frame is somewhat below the horizontal line A B. The stitfness of the front ends of theV front springs and the rigid connection between the same and the front axle enable the frame tov assume these positions, as under load or on striking an obstruction the rear end of the .frame yields more readily than the front end.' rEhe rear end of the front spring, being more tender or resilient than the front end thereof yields also and permits the portion of the frame supported thereby to be depressed, as will 'appear more particularly from Figs.

l and 2 wherein the position of Athe frame' `vehicle... Further ore, when a severe deliection of the springs is produced, either by reason 'of striking an obstruction or by overload `or both, the front end of the frame is always above the rear end thereof, whereby the upward inclination of the frame from rear to front resists the shear between the springs and the axles and lessens the tendency of. the body 'and of 4the passengers therein to pitch forwardwben an obstacle` is encountered. A

Various modifications may.; be made in my invention without avoiding thers'p'irit thereof, and, vvhile I have necessarily illustrated the same in detail, I do not propose to be limited to the details of construction except :1s-the same may be positively included in the claims hereto annexed and may be rendered necessary by the state ofthe prior art.

Having described my invention, claim: l. A compound Vehicle spring comprising a spring both ends of which are adapted for connection with a vehicle frame anda spring having an end flexibly connected to an'end' or the former spring, the 'ends of the leaves of the latter spring projecting beyond the ing distances therefrom, the leaf of the latter spring whichis adjacent the former sp1-ing projecting. the greatest distance beyond the center of the former spring, and means for securing the spring members together at the central portion of the former spring, substantially as specified.

2. A compound. vehicle spring comprising a spring member both ends of which are adapted for connection with a vehicle frame' and a spring member having an end flexibly connected to an end of the former spring, the leavesof the' latter spring member extending beyondthe center of the former' spring member `at varying distances therefrom and being staggered with respect to the corresponding ends of the leaves of the former member, means for securing the body portions of said members together, and

' central portion of the former spring 'at vary# means for securing the ends of the leaves of Vthe latter spring member to the former spring member,substantially as specified.

3. A vehicle spring member comprising an upper and a lowerlcaf spring member connected together at their body portions, a flexible connection between one end ofsaid upper spring member and the adjacentend of the lower spring men'iber. the ends ot' the leaves of the other end of the upper spring member beingstaggercd with respect to the subjacent ends of thc leaves of the lower spring member, and means for securing such ends oi' the upper spring member to the lower s )rinv' member. substantiall as s Jecilied.

l. A vehicle spring comprising two individual spring members, one of said member beiiw a semi-elli )tic s )rinn1 and the 4other e spring having a scroll end extending around and iiexibly connected to one end of the. formcr spring and having its other end termi natmg short of the correspondlng end of the semi-elliptic springend secured tosaid Semielliptic spring. substantiallyas specified.

5. The combination with a vehicle axle of a compound spring, one end vportion of which is constructed as a sereni-elliptic spring and the other end portion of which consists of a semi-elliptic spring member and a scroll spring member, the end of the latter member extending around and being flexibly convnected 'to the adjacent end of the former member and means mounted upon the axle for securing the body portions of the spring thereto, substantially as specified.

6. The combination, with a vehicle frame,

' of a front and a rear side spring therefor,

the -front end of the front spring being rigidly connected to said frame and the rear end. ofv said spring being flexibly connected to said frame and of greater flexibilityv than the front end, both ends of the rear spring being of greater flexibility than the front 'end ofthe f rontspring, substantial-ly as y15..VV o

"i7:-fllhecombinatiom with the frame and axle'ofa 4vehicle, of'a spring secured to said axle' and h/aving one end thereof suitably connectcdtosaid drame, the other end off z8. 'The'combinatiom with-thev frame andaxle of awehicle, of a compound spring, one- I end portionof .which is constructed as a single yspring `fand the other end portionhaving se ara-te ends, one of which ends 1s forme asoa -scroll extending around the other end, a' link or shackle Yflexibly connecting said 'separate ends, and means connecting the lends of the springY to the vehicle frame. 5

9. :The combination with a Vehicle frame,

` of a' composite spring, one end .of which is made-up of a main vleaf connected with the frame against longitudinal movement and a plurality ofauxillary leaves,- the other end 'of the'spring consistingof an upper and 'a lower spring, each 0,11, whichis made up of a main leaf and auxiliary' lleaves, the ends of both las mentioned spur`v frame. i 10. The combination' with a vehicle frame, of a composite spring, one end of which 1s n ls having a longi' tudinall movable. :co'niiection with said madevup of a main leaf connected with the frame against longitudinal movement and a plurality of auxiliary leaves, the other end of the spring consisting of an upper and main, leaf andauxiliary leaves, the main leaf of the upper spring formed into a scroll which extends beyond below and embraces the forward end of the main leaf of the rear lower spring, the end of both lastmentioned springs havinglongitudinally movable connections with said frame.

l1. The combination with-a. vehicle frame, of a composite spring, one end of which is made up of a main leafconnected with the frame against longitudinal movement and a plurality of auxiliary leaves, the other end of the spring consisting of an upper and a lower spring, each of which is made'up of a main leaf and auxiliary leaves, a depending long linkhaving itsupper end pivoted to said frame and its lower end-pivoted to the end of oneof the last mentioned main leaves, and an upwardlyL projecting short link having one end pivoted' to the lower end of the long link, the upper end oftheshort link pivoted to theendof the other last 'mentionedv main leaf. o A

12.v The combination with a vehicle frame,

of a composite spring, the front end of' which is made up of a main leaf connected with the front end of theframe against ylon- 'gitudinal movement and a plurality of auxiliary leaves, the rear endof the spring lcon'- sisting of an upper and a lower spring, each y of whichv is made up of a main leaf and auxiliary leaves, theends of both last mentionel springs having a longitudinal movable connection with the frame in rear of4 its' front end.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto allix my signature 1n the 'presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL M. MCINTYRE.

. Witnesses CHRIszrIAN Gilat.

lowespring each oflwhich is made 'up of a 

